


A Winter Dawn

by llaras



Category: Firefly
Genre: F/M, Flirting, Haiku, Poetry, Snow, Snowball Fight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-11
Updated: 2015-09-11
Packaged: 2018-04-20 05:31:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4775486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/llaras/pseuds/llaras
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inara and Simon watch the crew play in the snow.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Winter Dawn

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on LJ 9-03-2004. I wrote on there that I had a second part in mind, but I honestly have no idea what that entailed anymore. I'll have to go through my files and see if I had anything started. But in the meantime, this fic is finished. I hope it is enjoyable as-is.

  


"Inara? Why are you over here by yourself?" Simon asked. He had noticed her standing a bit apart from the others as he stepped off of Serenity. A quick haul from a mid-sized planet to a near moon and now they had time for a small layover. It looked like almost everyone was taking advantage of the stop to release some of the restlessness that weeks and weeks of living on a contained vessel can bring about.

"I'm just enjoying the fresh air." She gazed out at the rest of the crew as they ran about in the snow, whooping and hollering in the cold morning air. Kaylee and River had started a snowball fight with Jayne and Wash as soon as they had stepped off the ship and now there was a raging snowball war going on. Zoe and Book were standing companionably off to the side, laughing at the spectacle the others were making of themselves. Inara smiled over at him. "Also, I'm trying to stay out of the line of fire."

"Ah, yes. Good idea." Simon stepped up onto the outcropping of stone that she was standing on, her thin soled slippers not made for standing in several inches of snow. She had a shawl wrapped around her shoulders, but it wasn't doing a very good job of keeping her warm. After seeing her shiver for the second time in as many minutes he took off his coat and mutely offered it to her. She hesitated a moment before accepting it with a grateful smile.

"I love winter more than all of the other seasons combined," Inara said after a few more minutes had passed.

"You do? Why is that?" Simon was truly puzzled. He preferred the fall, with its changing colors and cooling temperatures.

"See?" She pointed at Kaylee who was laughing at Jayne's clumsy attempt at a snow-angel.

sun shining on snow  
glittering, glinting, grinning  
spring is on its way

Simon smiled. "Yes, I'll agree with that."

"And?" Next she pointed at Book, who had covertly filled up his pockets with snowballs and was now circling around the group, mischief in his eyes.

the snowball spins, rolls  
there is joy to be found here  
it is everywhere

They both laughed as his snowball found its intended target. Jayne looked pretty funny with a mouthful of snow.

"What does he make you think of?" Simon asked her.

"Jayne? Hmmm." Inara studied him for a moment before she answered.

thin layer of ice  
obscures the beauty within  
will it melt away?

Simon snorted. "Beauty?"

"Shh. Everything has its own charm." She looked over at Simon's skeptical face. "Yes. Even Jayne." Before he could respond she pointed over to where Wash and Zoe were standing. Wash was behind Zoe, his arms were wrapped around her and he was whispering something in her ear.

small creek laughs along  
despite ice and storm debris  
it knows its purpose

a calm snow at night  
quiet, protection from the wind  
blanketing the world

Simon made a sound of agreement over the last two haiku. "And what about River? What kind of wintery image does she conjure up?"

Inara smiled.

the little bird sings:  
"the air will hold me aloft,  
the nest keep me warm"

"She is like a little bird, isn't she?" Simon watched River skip and flitter around the others as they started to head back to the ship. "What about Mal?" Simon looked around, not seeing him anywhere.

"There." Inara nodded over to a small grove of oaks in the distance.

peaceful branches bare  
a tree, stark and empty, waits  
for what must come next

"And me?" Simon was too curious to not ask. Would his be serious or playful? Which would he rather have?

"Mmmm. One of the best things about winter is coming in from the weather." Inara pulled his coat more tightly around her and held out a free hand. He accepted it.

flickering fire glows  
tea and good conversation  
the pleasures of home

She smiled shyly at him and started to turn away, but he grabbed onto her hand before she could pull it away. "Let's go inside," he said softly, "and have some of that tea and good conversation." She nodded and let him help her down off of the rocks. "Oh, wait," he said as he stopped their progress through the snow, "you forgot one."

"What?" She looked back at where they had been standing. "Did I drop something?"

"No. I meant you forgot to do one for you."

"Oh." Inara thought for a second and then laughed. "I have no idea!" She tilted her head at him. "Will you do mine?"

Simon looked to see where the others were. Too far away to hear. He whispered it anyway.

a snowflake glides down  
like an angel drifts on wings  
I want to catch it

"I think you will," was all Inara said before she stepped back and released his hand. The others were getting closer and they could hear the good-natured bantering clearly now.

"Hey, Simon!" Kaylee over at him. "I think Jayne needs some seein' to. He must be sick to let two little girls get the best of him in a snow fight."

"Hey! That's not the way it happened!" Jayne scowled as everyone laughed. "They don't fight fair," he grumbled as they all walked back onto the ship, Inara and Simon trailing behind the others.

"My shuttle? In an hour?" she asked.

"I'll bring the tea." he responded. And as he watched her walk up the stairs he decided that winter was his favorite season too. It was a good time for new beginnings.


End file.
